Technology

59421 readers

5045 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

Follow the lemmy.world rules.
Only tech related content.
Be excellent to each another!
Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
Politics threads may be removed.
No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

241

Mercedes-Benz scales back electric ambitions as EV pessimism grows (arstechnica.com)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

187 comments fedilink hide all child comments

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] -3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

First, thank you for giving a specific example. For this example, you can pay a third party $50 for a one-time unlock and not have a BMW subscription.

"The first approach has been to go to specialized companies that, for a one-time fee, will unlock the software-locked features. According to Slashgear, the U.K. tuner Litchfield Motors can unlock the features for under $50. It can also unlock the ability to show content on screens while the vehicle is moving. Slightly illegal, don’t you think?"

You, the buyer, benefit because BMW lowered the price of the car expecting to get seat heating for years. The person that lives exclusively in warm climate and will never use seat heating benefits because of the lower priced car.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Croquette

Doesn't change the fact that is is already happening as per the original poster of this comment chain. It is not because you can circumvent it that it is not a trend that we see in the industry. And what about when this is no longer possible? Then what is the option?

It is a lot easier to not open the pandora box than to try to close it.

I am pretty sure that regardless of the subscription or not, it is less expensive to produce one model and lock the options and sell them, than fitting each option separately. But this is me talking out my ass.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

Doesn’t change the fact that is is already happening as per the original poster of this comment chain.

I addressed that in my very first comment in the chain, so this isn't new nor did I ignore it.

It is not because you can circumvent it that it is not a trend that we see in the industry. And what about when this is no longer possible? Then what is the option?

Third party seat heaters have been available longer than first party seat heaters. So at worst, rip out the BMW seat heaters and add third party seat heaters.

I am pretty sure that regardless of the subscription or not, it is less expensive to produce one model and lock the options and sell them, than fitting each option separately. But this is me talking out my ass.

I'm confused by you saying this, because this is the primary point I've been trying to make the entire thread. Did you miss a word negating your statement when wrote it or are you in agreement with me?